Catrin Finch

Biography

Catrin Finch, born in 1980 in Llanon, Ceredigion, Wales, began studying the harp at age five or six, inspired early on and achieving the highest mark in the UK for her Grade Eight exam at age nine. She studied with renowned harpist Elinor Bennett for eight years in Wales before moving to the Purcell School in London at age 16, during a challenging family period of her parents' divorce. Finch then attended the Royal Academy of Music, graduating in 2002 under teacher Skaila Kanga, whom she credits with broadening her horizons beyond classical ensembles; she received the Queen’s Award as the outstanding student of her year.[1][2][3][4]

Her career skyrocketed with major wins at the 1999 Lily Laskine International Harp Competition in France and the 2000 Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York, leading to debuts across the US and sponsorship from the Victor Salvi Foundation, including a custom harp and Wigmore Hall recital. In 2000, while still a student, she was appointed Royal Harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales (2000-2004), reviving an ancient tradition last held in Queen Victoria's reign. Finch performed with orchestras like the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, English Chamber Orchestra, and Bryn Terfel with Sinfonia Cymru, earning a Classical Brit nomination in 2004 and an Echo Klassik in Germany. She expanded into cross-genre work, releasing chart-topping albums like Goldberg Variations (2009, Deutsche Grammophon, UK Classical #1) and Blessing with John Rutter (2012, Classical Brit nominee), and innovative fusions with kora player Seckou Keita and flamenco group Cimarron.[1][2][3][4]

Transitioning toward composition and teaching, Finch completed a postgraduate course at the Royal Welsh College of Music, where she served as artist-in-residence, composing a harp concerto for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales inspired by poet Hedd Wyn. Now a visiting professor at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Royal Academy of Music, she runs a summer harp academy and embraces global influences, blending classical virtuosity with intuitive, notation-free collaborations that have become hits in the UK and Europe.[3][4]

Fun Facts

• At age 11, she became the youngest member to perform at a BBC Promenade concert at Royal Albert Hall as principal harpist of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
• Received a custom Salvi 'Aurora' harp and Wigmore Hall debut sponsorship from the Victor Salvi Foundation after major competition wins.
• Her intuitive collaborations, like twining harp with Seckou Keita’s 22-string kora without notation, have become rare global music hits.
• Composed a harp concerto inspired by Welsh poet Hedd Wyn, killed at the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales.

Associated Acts

• Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita - harp

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Elinor Bennett - Primary early teacher in Wales (Initial harp studies) [Childhood, ~1986-1994]
• Skaila Kanga - Teacher at Purcell School and Royal Academy of Music, broadened classical focus to session work (Royal Academy graduation 2002) [1996-2002]

Key Collaborators

• Seckou Keita - Kora player in cross-cultural harp-kora fusion (Collaborative albums and tours) [2010s onward]
• Cimarron - Flamenco group collaboration (Joint performances and recordings) [2010s]
• Bryn Terfel - Performed concertos with Sinfonia Cymru (Concerts in Dublin and Birmingham) [Early 2000s]
• John Rutter - Composer collaboration (Album 'Blessing' (2012, UK Classical #1, Classical Brit nominee)) [2012]

Artists Influenced

• Students at her harp academy - International students from her summer academy in Gwaelod Y Garth (Harp training program) [Many years, ongoing]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #classical, #composer, #harpist